Portable milking machine



J. R. ORELIND PORTABLE MILKING MACHINE Nov. 6, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1947 Nov. 6, 1951 J. R. ORELIND PORTABLE MILKING MACHINE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1947 Patented Nov. 6, 1 951 j ;UNITED PAjjTN g F C ORTABL-E ACnINE i e J rsey pplicatio December so, 1947; serial N ?9 ,49

This n -ntion relat v Mo e part u r y; it lat s o a ps teble milkr u t ;ha n n mpr v d p ls ng mach 1.- Inthe conventional type .of milker machine a pulsat g mec an sm a rnatel produc a um pul ation w thin a et Q eat cup matjen& The vacuum pus t on e su ll ffe d by a valve element which places the inflation communication with a vacuum chamb r Wh or s t f up is nder vacuum nu1, a 'LQ r t other set ;is in ,communi at on with, :the atm p re, and any vacum cond t n th t Was pre viously Z present in the letter set is, ,of .course destroyed until ;thevacuum ;cycle is again repeated.

Exper-ience has shownithatthe energy required, e

to continuously provide the required amount of to .a mi kn o m c ine vacuum -i-n the teat cups, is considerable and the vacu-um pump which is usually utilized may therefore be subjected to excessive stran under relativel-y normal working conditions; Applcant has perceived -the desirability of creating a more efiicient milking -unit whe ein the vacuum pressure 'present within one set of teat cups is not completely destroyed by immediately subjecti-ng the' teat cup :toatmospheric pressure after the vacuum pulsation Instead however in 'appliant' mp oved lk e va m p within both of the cup 'is egualiz ed during a time interval between the puisatign. *jByplaing both sets ,of teat cups' into communication with one another, the vacuum which has been utilized to deflate one set of cup s is 'threfpre distributed between both sets of cups. By thus di tr b t n t e v u a by u l zing th vacuum pressure prior to the next succeeding' pulsation, it can be seen that since the teat cup arealready partially under vacuurn, the subseguent degree of work required by the vacuun pump or chamber to bring the teat 91 1 5 1 93 .1 1 vacuum pulsation is, of coursegreatlylesened.

It is ,applicant's prime object, therefore to pro vide a pulsating mechansm having a valve ari e nt arr n d .to more emc nt y t late the distribution of vacuum and atmosphericpresure to the teatcups.

'It is another object to provide `an improved milking unit of a type havin a power unit,'p np, and .pulsating mechanismcombined and included within a portable, housing.

Another object is to provide an improved valve mechanism for .a pulsating device, said valve mechanism being arranged to alternately provide for vacuum pulsations in a clustr ,of .tatcups and hav ngmeans l z t p e w t in the at up' du n a meji t e w en the pulsations." A still further object is to provide an improved miller'unith avinga power unit arranged to drive a pul'sator connected to a rotating valve mem ber, said valve member being contructed to main tain a, vacuum depression within set of teat cups ;during .a time interval between the vacuum pulsatins, and having a bore arranged to place au oft he tat cup's in communication with one another, therebyfqualizing the vacuum pressure within all "or thete t cups during said time interval. i These and other objects will becorne further a 't i j qn g 'th (d p on w en-examind conjunction with the drawing.

In the drawings t Fig 1 is a bottom View of `a portable nilker unit how n ;a ulsatin rvalve mechanism a an indicating and signaling device said 'milkerlunit bein nn t 'to a b at "9 13 c'l t e n n thereo bein s ema l w i 42 s a iona View thrpu h th milk r i k n tanti ll lon th in 2li Fig. 1.

igi tional ew take %long th ;line li `o i Fi .4 .is a sj ctional view sh in ta i ee taken along the line 4:4 of Fig. :3.

Fig. '5 is a front detail View of e, distributor Valve. r

Fig.i6 is .a side View of the same.

Fig. 7..is a rear view of the distributor yalve.

Fig. 8 :is a detail view showing the dial of an indicating and signaling device.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and :2, amilker unitis generall y designated bythe reference char.- actr [0. The milker unit includes a housing ll consisting of a plurality of'cylindrical .sections !2 and '3. top cover member 14 .is provided at -the upper end of the housing] I .Acasing 1.5 is rigidly secured to the lower `end of the cylindricjal section 1 3 and a lowercovr l &is attacheti to the ;casingl V 'Ijhe housing `-l l includes anai-r or atmos phere cha nber I? positioned above ;the casng' 15.' A v'acuum or s'ib-a-tros'phere chamber Isis providedwithin the casing ;|5.

As shown ginFfig 2 top cover member l'4 is provided with op'enings {9 arrangd to provide for the entry oair into `the houing I I Ai hb porn 20 O t vermember l l includes a handle 21. I 'h e cover [4 and ylindrical section 12 are conne ed@ th v i d a s t Qn byjmeats q on p rmore i embers 1 3 c b tant ell A shaft 23 is provided for rotation within the housing and forms part of an electrical power unit or motor generally designated by 24. The shaft 23 is connected to a rotor or armature 25 which is arranged to rotate within a field core 26. The field core 26 forms part of a field Winding 21 in a conventional rnanner, The shaft 23 is provided atits low-er end with a shaft extension 28 having a turned down lower end 29 which extends into the mechanism of a wobble plate pump generally indicated by the reference character 39.

The wobble plate pump includes a wobble plate 3! which has at its rear enda hub portion 32.

The hub portion 32 is provided with a pair of, f

spaced bearing members 33 which are secu'red within said plate. The turned down end 29 of the shaft extension 28 is journalled at its lower end in a hearing 34 positioned within the casin !5. The wobble plate 3! also includes an arm orextension 35 having a valve opening 36. A fiexible valve 31 of' spring-like material is positioned over the valve opening 36 for opening and closing the same. A flexible diaphragm 38 is rigidly Secured at its inner edge to the arm or extension 35. The diaphragm is further rigidly Secured at its outer end by fastener members 39 which are connected to the casing l5. The casing [5 is provided with a dish shaped portion i! having an opening 42 in alignment with the opening 36 of the arm or extension 35. A flexible valve element 43'is Secured over the opening 42 by means of a lea spring 44.

A worm 55 is connected to the turned down end' 29 of the shait extension 28. The worm 55 is provided to actuate an air distributing member or valve generally'designated by the reference character 56. j '`As best shown in Fig. 1, the casing [5 is provided with a pair 'of teat cupconnections 51 and 51' which extend outwardly 'of the housing ll. The teat cup connections 51 and 51' are in turn connected'to conduits- 58, the connection 'being schematically shown in Fig'. 1. The conduits 58 are in turn connected to a milker claw 59 which forms part of a teat cup cluster 60. The teat cup cluster 69 includes two sets of teat cups o' teat cup infiations Bl and 52. -To each teat cup there are connected milk conduits a andpressure conduits 64. A milk-run off conduit 65 is in t'urn 'connected to the milke-*claw 59.. The type of construction here indicated is conventional in the art, said teat cups including rubber inflations (not shown) in the usual manner.,

The casing I5 is provided with a projecting structure 66 to which is connected a constant vacuum fitting 61. The structure 66 is also provided 'With a vertical bore 68 which is in communication with 'an annular valve seat 69 best shown in Fig. 4. The valve seat 69 is provided t seat a rotatable valve member 79. The valve seat 69 further includes openings 'H and 12 respectively positioned for communication with the teat cup connections-51 and 51'. A central opening 13 is in communication with the verticalbore 68 and the constant vacuum connection 61.

As best shownin Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the valve member 79 includes an upper arcuate slot or atmosphere port 14 which extends completely through the valve member 19. A pair of bores and 16 are formed in the face of the valve member Te and these bores are in turn in conimunication with one another by means of'a conduit '11. The valve member 'iii is further provided with a lower arcuate recess or vacuum port '18. The recess or port 78 is in communication with a vertical recess 19 which in turn is at all times in communication with the constant vacuum fitting 51 by means of the bore 13.

As best shown in Fig. 'I the rear face of the valve member 10 is provided with a square opening 80 which is in mating engagement with a square shaft extension 8l. The shaft extension Bl forms part of a shaft 8 2which is journalled in a pair of laterally spaced bearings 83' and 84. The bearings 83 'and 84 are supported by means of spaced collars 85 supported on a supporting member 85'. Spaced intermediately between the bearing members 83 and 84 is a pinion or gear 86 The gear or-pinion 86 is in driving engagement, as best shown in Fig. 2, with the worm 55.

A worm 81 is connected at the outer end on shait 82 and this worm is arranged to actuate an indicating and *signaling mechanism generally u indicated by the reference character 88.

The indicating and signaling mechanism 38 includes a rotatable cap member or dial 89 as best shown in Figs. 1 and 8. The dial 89 is positioned to rotate on the outer surface of a portion of the casing designated by the reference character 90.'

The cap member 89 includes a knob 9l which is arranged so that the operator may grip the same for turning said dial. The dial 89 is rigidly secured'to a shaft 92 extending inwardly into the housing l l. The shaft 92 is journalled within a stationary supporting'member`93 which' is in turn connected to the casing l5. ;A coil spring 94 encircles the shaft 92 and is in abutting relation at one end with the portion of the housing [5. The free end of 'the coil spring 94 is in abutment with a gear 95 which is in turn adjacent' to a stop 96; r The gearor pinion 95 is also in meshing engagement with'a geara'l Secured to a shaft 98. The shaft98 is journalled instationary members or projections 99. A thrust member on is connected to the shait and is in bearing against one of the stationary members 99. The shait 98 is further connected to and rotated by a gear o. The gear o is in meshing engagement with the worm 81 and is rotawd thereby.

Asshown in Fig. 1, the signaling element 01' whistle [02 is rigidly Secured within an pening !03 formed in the portion 90. The whistle |02 is also provided with a substantially' small o ening !04 which in turn may be placed in alignment with an 'opening ifl formed in the dial.

As best shown in Fig. 8, the dial is 'provided with indices from O to 5, said indices indica'ting time as related to a timed milking operation. The opening !95 "is g'enerally placed in thejdial at the zero indice for a reason which will become apparnt later. The operation of the signallin'g mechanism is clearly, disclosed in applicant's copending' continuationin-part application 'Serial No. 74,919, filed February 7, 1949, now Patent Number 2,569,18'7.

Upon actuatingthe electric motor 24 the wobble pump 39 'is placed into operation. As' best shown in Fig. 2, the turned down'end 29 of the shaftzs is 'angularly positioned and connected to the wobble plate 3 I. Therefore, upon rotation of the turned down end 29 of the 'shaft, the arm' or extension 35 is placed into reciprocating movement; The diaphragm 38 normally seals 'the space between the arm 35 and'the dish shaped portion Gi. The arm 35 is contoured to t'into the dish shaped portion di and as this arm moves away from said portion the valve 93 opens and by virtue of the depression within the above mentioned space, air rusit-es past the'valve %into said space. Upon' the' downward strolze of the shii 'st the ven teses and the vene His*- conditinby means artheenci-ic: the wobble cfatih With the br 73 which 'is in communiationwith the reess l The valve member ?E is' rotated means of thegar 86 whih is in m'shing airagem-ent with thwor'm As the va'i'v member io rott thecwer area ate res br'vacuum port `T8",` which is ;un er -conniu vacuum; i placed into "ecmmunieati with the opening 12, since the opening' 12 is in turn' in communication' with the teat cup connction 5112,' vacuum 'conditionwithin said conhection takes place. when this occurs the set of tatcups 61 is subjectedto 'a vacuum nd a pulsation takes place". In a sir'nilar mannei' the rcjate recess 18 i's moved into communication with' the 'opening H. A vacuum condition within the 'connection 51 takes place causing a vac pul'ation in the teatcups 62. The 'valve' member 'cecnti s totation until the openings or ors wand 15 ,are in communication with the 'opening s' oi' bor-es 12 and 'H whereupon the vacuum within one. set of teat cups is equally distributed within both sets 'of cu`ps by means of the bore TT. It isclearly apparent that just previous to the equalization of the vacuum -within all the teat cups, the vacuum pressure within one set of cups is trapped within the teat cup connections,` and retained therein until the bores Ti and' 12 respective-ly'register with the bores 15 and 16. Upon' theregistering of *these botes With one anopeing 7 2; At this paint taevacuum is ti an se&

p-eting the pulsation inteat cups 6-2. It can be" se'nth'at in-this Construction a lesser amount ofother, 'the vacuum pre'ssur which remains withmone set of teat cups is thereupon'equally'divided' between both sets 'of teat cups. By arbitrarily assuming' that a'properpuls'ation requires fourteen` in'ch's of m-ercury 'inone set of teat cu`ps, it can be seen that upon equaliz'ation of thepr'es'- sure within'all 'o'f the teat cups, the vacuum pressure within both sets of the cups would then be approxiiateiy Seven inches' .It is clear therefor that just prior to each vacuum' pulsation, each set of teat cups already is under a vacuum depression of approximately seven inches. Since 14 inches are required for a full effective pulsation, the work of the pump need only be sunicient to bring the pressure up to this figure. Thus by trappin the total amount of vacuum in one set of teat cups and by subsequently equa-lizing the pressure within all of the cups, a sufiicient amount of vacuum remains in one set of cups whereby the amount of work the pump must accomplish is greatly lessened.

The cycle of operation may be summarized as follows:

The recess 18 is placed in communication with the opening 12 and teat cup connection 51' thereby efiecting a vacuum pulsation in teat cup set Bl. At this point the opening 'H is placed in alignment with the atmosphere port or slot 14 and the teat cup connection 51 is subjected to the atmosphere, thereby breaking the vacuun within the set of teat cups 52. The opening 12 and teat cups 5! are now under vacuum and the rotation of the valve member continues until the reces s is no longer in communication with the work must b--accompiished by the pump sincea certain am ount of -v'acuui nis always present within the teat'cu'p connection; The efileiency of the pulsator is thei eby greatly increased;

' It can now be seen that a. novel portable milker' unit has been 'provided which is of cempact censtruction and includes an improved valve mesh'- anism whereby'the efficiency of the milking ep:-

eration is greatly enhanced.

It is' to be understood that modifications and' hanges maybe made in' this Construction which do' not depart from the spirit of the-invention "as disclosed noi-.as defined in -the appended claims-.`-

- What'is claimed is: i

1. A punetor' for 'a milking machine comprising a, pair of teat cup` connections, a co nstant vacuum connection in communication with said pulsator, 'means' alter'nately exposing said'teat cup-connections to atmosphere' and vacuum inl'u'ding a movable valve 'member having' a ilacuum port in communication with said' vacuum connection, said vacuun port beingmovabie-with' said 'valve member into communication with a first teat cup connection for producing a d pression therein, said valve member including an atmosphere port in communication with said atmosphere connection and in communication with a 'second teat cup connection for exposing the same to the atmosphere; means fonmovi ngi said valve-member tobreak communication betwen the. first teat cup connection anti the vaccnnection for a time intrval whr'eb'y' the first teat cup connection remains under ade-'- pression, said 'valve member including a bore' ai'fang'ed to simultanousl y register with bothof said teat cup connections whereby the 'depression within the' first teat cup connection-is equalized between both connections prior to the communication of the vacuum connection with said second teat connection upon further movement of said valve member.

2. A pulsator for a milking machine comprising a pair of teat cup connections, a constant vacuum connection in communication with said pulsator, means alternately exposing said teat cup connections to atmosphere and vacuum including a rotatable valve member having a vacuum port in communication with said vacuum connection, said vacuum port being rotatable with said valve member into communication with a first teat cup connection for producing a depression therein, said valve member including an atmosphere port in communication With said atmosphere connection and simultaneously in communication with a second teat cup connection for exposing the same to the atmosphere, means for rotating said valve-member to break communication between the teat cups and the vacuum and atmosphere connections for a time interval whereby the first teat cup connection remains under a depression, said valve member including a ber arranged to simultaneously register with both of said teat cup connections whereby the depression within the first teat cup connection is equalized between both connec-' tions prior to the` communication of the vacuuIn connection With said second teat connection upon further rotation of said valve member.

e 3. A pulsator for a milking machine comprising a pair of teat cup connections, a valve seat having openings in communication with said teat cup connections, a. valve member movable on said valve seat, said valve member having vacuum ports in communication with a source of vacuum and atmosphere ports in communication with the atmosphere, power means for moving said valve member thereby moving said vacuum port into registry with a first teat cup connection for producing a vacuum therein, a second teat cup connection being simultaneously in registry with the atmosphere port, said' power means being aciapted to move said valve member to break communication between said teat cups and the vacuum and atmospherecconnection for a time interval whereby the first teat cup connection remains under a depression, saidvavalve member being further movable and having a borearranged'to simuitaneously register with both of said teat cup connections whereby the depression within the first teat cup connection is equalized between both connections prior to the communication'of the vacuum connection with the second teat cup connection.

4. A pulsator for a'milking machine comprsinga pair of teat cup connections, a valve seat having openings in communication with said teat cup connections, a rotatable valve member movable on said valve seat, said valve member having vacuum ports in communication with a source of vacuum and atmosphere ports in communication with the atmosphere, power means for rotating said valve member thereby moving said vacuum port into registry with a first teat cup connection for producing a vacuum therein, a second teat cup connection being simultaneously in registry with the atmosphere port, said power means being adapted to rotate said valve member to break communication between said teat cups and the vacuum and atmosphere connection for a time interval whereby the first teat cup connection remains under a depression, said valve member being further rotatable and having a. bore arranged to simultaneously register with both of said teat cup connectionswhereby the depression within' the first-teat cup connection is equalized between both connections prior to the communication of the vacuum connection with the second teat cup connection.

5. A pulsator for a milking machine comprising a pa'ir of teat cup connections, a valve seat having openings? in communication with .said teat cup connections, a rotatabie valve member movable on said valve seat, said valve member having vacuum ports in communication with a source of vacuum and atmosphere ports in communication with the atmosphere, power means for rotating said valve members thereby moving said vacuum port into registry with afirst teat cup connection for producing avacuum therein, a second teat cup connection being simultaneously in registry with the atmosphere port, said power means being adapted to rotate said valve member to break communication between said teat cups and the vacuum and atmosphere connection for a time interval whereby the first teat cup connection remains under a depression, said valve member being further rotatable and having connecting means for simultaneousl'y connecting both ofsaid teat cup connections where by the depression within the first teat cup connection is equalized between' both connections p rior to the communication of the vacuum connection with the second teat cup connection.

v v JOHN R. ORELIND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordrin the file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name i Date' 1,333,972 Gessler Mar. 16, 1920 1,410,286 Dinesen e Mar. 21, 1922 1,949,875 Persoons eta. Mar. 6,1934 2,039,958 Hapgood May 5, 1936 2,102,275 Martin Dec. 14, 1937 2,321,616 i Perkins June 15, 1943 2,342,327 Braun Feb. 22, 1944 2,416,139 Babson Feb. 18, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country V Date 21,432 Australia Sept. l1, 1935 

